A Comparative Analysis of Serum Irisin Levels and Body Composition Indices in Women With and Without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Introduction Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine-metabolic disorder impacting women of reproductive age, often manifesting during adolescence. This study aimed to determine serum irisin levels in subjects with PCOS compared to healthy controls and explore the correlation between irisin levels and body composition indices. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital. Thirty-three women with PCOS and 32 healthy, age-matched controls were recruited. Relevant socio-demographic and clinical data were collected, and body composition was analyzed using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Serum irisin levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and statistical analysis was performed using CoGuide software (Evidencian Research Associates, Bengaluru, India). Results PCOS subjects exhibited significantly higher levels of clinical features associated with hyperandrogenism, including elevated systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), body mass index, waist-hip ratio, total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), serum testosterone, body fat percentage, subcutaneous fat percentage, visceral fat percentage, and fat mass index, along with lower high-density lipoprotein levels and lean mass percentage, compared to controls. Serum irisin levels were significantly higher in PCOS cases (10.82 (8.5-14.31) ng/mL) than in controls (2.57 (2.19-4.65) ng/mL). There was a moderate positive correlation between serum irisin and SBP, DBP, hirsutism, total cholesterol, LDL, visceral fat, and serum testosterone levels. Weak correlations were observed between serum irisin and other body fat indices. Subjects with metabolic syndrome exhibited higher irisin levels and significantly elevated body composition indices, including body fat percentage, visceral fat percentage, fat mass index, and fat-free mass index, compared to those without metabolic syndrome. Conclusions PCOS subjects have elevated serum irisin levels, which correlate positively with clinical and biochemical hyperandrogenism, total cholesterol, LDL, and visceral fat. These findings suggest that irisin may play a role in the metabolic and hormonal dysregulation observed in PCOS.